Chapter 1 - A stranger

Rebecca placed her gloved hand on Phileas' arm and laughed. "Ah, you think Jules is in danger of falling in love?" Phileas Fogg looked down upon a young woman walking by his side and smiled. "Perhaps."

There was something about Rebbeca Fogg, about the way she could read his mind like an open book, and yet, in all the years since he met her, Phileas Fogg could never read hers so clearly. Not that he didn't try; he did, many times, but each time his guesses proved very off mark or too near the mark. Neither was good. In time, he gave up trying, and was content with what she decided to share with him.

Rebbeca made a serious face. "You have to let him live his life completely." He turned to her, frowning. "What in the world do you mean by that?" She looked straight into his eyes, "He is a grown man, Phileas. He doesn't need us to be constantly on our watch for him. He doesn't want us to. Yes, he is not safe in this world. But who is? Yes, he is going to be a great man one day. All great men had their demons, and all of them fought their demons, their fears, alone." He stopped short, and looked at her sternly. For a few seconds, their eyes remained locked, each challenging, neither relenting. Then slowly, his frown relaxed and he smiled gently. "Demons, Rebecca? I thought we were talking about Miss Anne." She picked up her skirts, as she sped along the small, choked forest way. She was many steps ahead of him, and yet he caught her muttered words, "I believe you know what I wanted to say."

He shook his head, and called to her. Rebecca slowed down, but did not seem to have any intention to stop. He called once more, this time succeeding in making her turn around and looked at him. "Please, stop!" he laughed. "This was supposed to be a walk, remember?" Rebecca leaned on the tree, and crossed her arms. "He is not Erasmus, Phileas," she said gently. He started and looked at her so intensely that Rebecca felts as if his eyes were burning into her skin. "Erasmus has nothing to do with Jules," his voice was hoarse and lowered almost to the whisper. "Not with Jules. With you."

In a few steps, he was by her side, gripping her shoulders. "Erasmus is dead! And I'll be damned before I let the same thing happen to Jules!" He held her so firmly, Rebecca was sure that bruises were inevitable. Still, she held her ground, almost as firmly as he did her. "You cannot protect him forever. You cannot protect him from life," she answered softly, raising her hand to his face, and wiping a stray tear with her thumb. He shivered suddenly, and allowed his hands to fall. "I know," he murmured. Rebecca lifted his face and kissed his forehead. "I am absolutely sure Miss Anne is a wonderful girl," she said teasingly. "You might like her, after all." Phileas smiled. "Love is a dangerous thing," he said, casting a significant, but unnoticed look on the young woman, who now seemed to look over his shoulder, somewhere behind him.